Speed-indicator for motor-cars and other vehicles.



G. 0. SMITH.

SPEED INDICATOR FOR MOTOR CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APB.2, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

In re 72107: taflw Math Maw/6 UNITED STATES IEILIENTOFFICE.

CUTHIBERT COATES SMITH, OF TWICKENHAM, ENGLAND.

SPEED-INDICATOR FOR MOTOR CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Application filed April 2, 1910. SeriaLNo. 552,999.

To all whom' it may concern:

Be it known that I, CUTHBERT Coarse SMITH, a subject of the Kin of Great Britain, residing at 14. Corn-wal road, Twickenham, in the county of Middlesex, England, engineer, have invented certain new and usetul Improvements in S eed-Indicators for Motor-Cars and other ,ehicles, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to speed indicators for motor cars and other vehicles of the kind whereby a visual indication of the speed in miles per hour at which the vehicle 1s travelingis exhibited so as to be readil seen by )ede'strians and others. In such evices as hitherto made'the indicator is in the form of a fiiied dial over which a hand or ointer travels to indicate the speed in mi es per hour, but this construction requires a very large dial face, as otherwise the figures thereon cannot be seen by pedestrians when the vehicle is traveling at a high speed.

According to my invention the indicator is intermittentlyrotated or otherwise actuated so as to exhibit numerals representing the speed of the vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional rear elevation of m speed indicator, and Figs. 2 and elevations of the same partly broken away.

The same arts are lettered to correspond in all three figures of the drawings.

My improved speed indicator ismade preferably inthe form of a hexa onal prism a the sides 6 of which are ma e of transparent material, having the numerals and other information '0 printed, ainted or otherwise impresse thereon. T e prism a is provided with e. tended cylindrical ends a working on ball or other bearin in a frame d, having apertured ears (1 s idable on fixed rods 0. Around the rods 6 are spiral springs e on which the ears at rest.

Within one of the cylindrical ends a is 3 are end mounted a series of cylindrical sectors f whlch are irlctionally engaged successlvely.

the prism, and are so arranged as to be suc improvedressively engaged by the sliding flange g connected to the governor.

To insure the rotation of the prism when thefiange g engages any of the cylindrical sectors f the meeting edges thereof are slightly beveled so that when the flange g engages a cylindrical sector. f it will cause the depression of the cylindrical ends a and the frame (1 against thesprings e on the rods 6. On the outside of one of the cylindrical ends a is provided a grooved ring a which by the downward movement of the cylindrical ends a is caused to engage with a driving wheel 1' fast on the shaft Z. In the lpath of the flange g I may also rovide a w eel m adapted to be rotated by t e said flan e g when the vehicle has attained a pre etermined rate of speed; this wheel m is mounted on a shaft m carrying a hammer m which hits the gong m thereby giving an audible indication that the predetermmed speed limit has been reached.

The rism a. is spring mounted through the me end of which is secured to the'supportin standards, carrying the overnor shaft 2, and the other end of whic is'secured to a short arm t fastened to a web u which is secured to the inside projecting end a of the prism, as shown in Fig. 1. By means of this construction, .the prism will be permitted when at rest to return to the zero position when the vehicle is not running. The interior of the prism may be provided with a lamp, or other means of illumination not here shown. It is mounted on the frame A of the vehicle adjacent to an aperturela, indicated by dotted lines, ,Fi 1, through which the numeral on one oi its faces or sides can be seen.

The device maybe adapted to give a visual indication to the driver by small numerals c on extensions of the sides of the prism.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A speed indicator for motor cars and other vehicles, comprising a rotatably mounted bodyhaving numerals on its sides, a centrifugal overnor device and means for operating it rom the vehicle road wheel, a. sleeve connected to the movable end of the governor and having a flange, cylindrical sectors arranged in parallel on the interior of the body and lymg in the path of the ium of a coiled clock sp'ring r, one,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patehted Sept. 13, 1910. g

p lindrical sectors fixed paral el to each other.

flan e on the overnor sleeve and successive y engageab e thereb as the speedof' the vehicle varies, whereby t e indicator is inter-' mittently rotated, substantially as described and for the purposes stated. n 2. In a speed lnd'cator for motorcars and other vehicles, the combination with a rotatably mounted indicatin ..body and .c'y

on. its inner surface, of a centrifugal governor device and a sleeve attached thereto mounted within the rotatable body, means:

for'operating the governor fromthe vehicle road wheel,- and the governor sleeve having, a flange adapted to engage the parallel sectors successively and to rotate the body'intermittently, 'substantially'as described and for the purposes stated.

- lindrical ends mounted 'in the frame, and

other vehicles, the. combination with a frame and-a rotatableindicating body moun-ted therein, and having cylindrical sectors fixed parallel to'each other on its inner surface, -of a centrifugal-governor device and a sleeve cylindrical sectors fixed parallel to each other on and progressivel around the inner surface of one of said cy indrical ends, of a centrifugal governor device and a sleeve attached thereto mounted within the rotatable body, driving mechanism for the governor,

and the governor sleeve having 'a flange adapted to engage the parallel sectors successl'vely and to rotate the body lntermittently, substantially as described and for the purposes stated.v

5. In a speed 'ndicator for motor cars and other vehicles, the combination with a frame 3. In a speed indicator for motor cars and -7. In a speed and a rotatable indicating' bod hay-ing cylindrical ends mounted in the fi lindrical sectors fixed parallel to each other on, and progressively around, the inner surface of one. of said cylindrical ends, a

grooved ringsecured to-the outside of said end, a dr1v1ng shaft having a wheel adapted to engage with said ring, a shaft withint'he rotatable body, a centrifugal governor device and a sleeve attached thereto mounted .on said shaft, gearing connectingthe same to the driving shaft, and the governor sleeve" having a flange ada sectors successive? intermittently, substantially and for the purposes stated.

6'. In a speed indicator for motor.- cars andother vehicles, the combination with a rota.- tably mounted-body having sides and-extensions thereon, each rov ded with indieating numerals, of cy indrical sectors on the interior of said rotatable body, a centrifugal governor mechanism having a sleeve ame, of cyv ted to engage the paral; y and to rotate the body[ as described and flange mounted within the body,"and

driving mechanism for the governor, said flange being adapted to engage the sectors successively and to rotate the body intermittently, substantially as described and for the purposes stated.

supported frame and a rotatable indicating body mounted therein, and having cylindrical sectors fixed parallel to each other on its inner surface, of a centrifugal governor device and a sleeve attached thereto mounted indicator for motor cars and I other vehicles, the combination wlth a spring.

Within the rotatable body, means for operating the governor from the vehicle roadwheel, and the governor sleeve having a flange adapted to engage the parallel sectors successively and to rotate the body intermittently, substantially as described.

i In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of'two subscribing wit- 7 nesses this 21st day of Marchl910.

. CUTHBERT COATES SMITH.

' Witnesses: RIPLEY WILSON,

HUBERT D. J AMESON. 

